Reviews
A celebration of Scotland in photographs
Well-known Dundonian photographer Shahbaz Majeed has assembled a dizzyingly diverse range of 126 landscape images from every corner of Scotland. Presented in landscape format, they act as a lovely aide memoire for our wilder areas – whether it’s Portencross, Glencoe or Loch Awe, there were classic shots of places many of us will know and…
Read MoreNovel approach to a virus in Edinburgh
Set in an Edinburgh recovering from a virus which targets young healthy people, Murder at the Music Factory is a thriller which starts at a fast pace. Unfortunately the book is littered with typos, but I still found the writing easy to read and despite not having read any of the other books in the…
Read MoreSwapping London life for the Hebrides
When Tamsin and her husband Rab leave London and their busy careers behind, they hope a remote island on the Scottish Hebrides will provide exactly the kind of lifestyle change they’ve been looking for. Once the romantic shine of their new adventure wears off, it becomes clear that rescuing, maintaining and building a croft as…
Read MoreA terrific tale with a time travelling teacher
Working at an elite school in Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish history master Mr Petrie has the gift of eternal life. He embarks on time-travelling missions where he is often met by famous and ruthless characters from history. Mr Petrie seeks out an apprentice to help him but the young boy’s past holds its own secrets.…
Read MoreLoss, trauma and familial relationships
Haunted by the disappearance of 13-year-old Lindsay Mathieson, a family is forced to deal with another crisis 30 years later. I felt drawn into this story right from the beginning as author Moira Forsyth manages to breathe life into her characters within the first few chapters. Faced with loss and the resulting trauma Forsyth examines…
Read MoreThe battle between progress and conservation
Born and brought up around Dalbeattie, Patrick Laurie shares his experiences of establishing himself as a farmer and the many challenges he and his wife faced along the way. Laurie carefully examines his own relationship with the changing landscape of Galloway. His fascination with the natural world leads him to focus particularly on the plight…
Read MoreThe freedom of a life in the countryside
Set in 1856, a young wife and her doctor husband have left the bustling city of Glasgow behind to live on the banks of Loch Katrine. While her husband is on hand to medically assist those working on a huge engineering project to bring water to Glasgow, Isabel Aird is drawn towards the freedom of…
Read MoreHandy guide to fascinating spots to visit in the Lothians
Being a tourist in your own country is woefully underrated, and Jack Gillon reminds us of that in 50 Gems of the Lothians. Taking the reader on a tour of The Lothians, he looks into the region’s extensive architectural and cultural heritage, delving into the history of much-loved landmarks like Edinburgh Castle as well as…
Read MoreA gripping tale with a murder mystery on Islay
A gripping, gruesome tale of five corpses that are dug up by a peatcutter on Islay. The pace of the first few chapters feels a little slow, owing to the characters’ extensive dialogue, and the flashbacks require some concentration, but stick with it – a grisly subplot surrounding the political landscape of Britain intertwines seamlessly…
Read MoreA memoir account of dealing with grief
Marram: Memories of Sea and Spider-Silk is a candid memoir of Leonie Charlton’s experiences in the Outer Hebrides in 2017. Seven years after her mother’s death, Marram is a heart-wrenching account of coming to terms with grief. But aside from her journey of acceptance lies her deep concern for wildlife, in particular for horses, and…
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